Chapter 76

After Amren sacrifices herself to destroy Hybern's forces, Feysand discovers that breaking the Cauldron has created a catastrophic void threatening all of Prythian. Working together, they attempt to remake the Cauldron using Rhysand's power as a conduit, but the effort costs Rhysand his life.

In the aftermath of Amren's disappearance into the sea, Feysand realizes the broken Cauldron is leaking a void into the world—a fundamental threat to existence itself, as the world is bound to the Cauldron. When Feysand tries to use the Book of Breathings to fix it, the book vanishes into the void. Rhysand arrives, barely out of beast form and deeply shaken by Feysand's actions. Varian points out the growing fissure in the Cauldron's remnants. Desperate, Feysand decides to remake the Cauldron using herself as a conduit for Rhysand's power. Despite both being drained from battle, Rhysand insists they try. Drawing on a memory of a mural from the Spring Court that depicted the Cauldron as a source of life when held by female hands, Feysand begins the spell Amren taught her. Rhysand channels his power through her as she works to heal the three broken sections of the Cauldron. The effort is immense; Rhysand gives everything, whispering his love through their bond as his power flows out. The cracks seal one by one until the Cauldron is whole and the void is contained. When Feysand turns to Rhysand after completing the task, she finds him dead on the ground, his chest no longer rising and falling. The mating bond—their connection—is gone.